The new televised series will consist of eight ‘double-header’ events at the UK’s top circuits, including Silverstone, Donington and Brands Hatch, and will be open to production GT cars such as Ferraris, TVRs and Porsches. Dunlop is a leading supplier to GT racing around the world, having won the GT2 class of the 2007 Le Mans Endurance Series with the Virgo Ferrari team. Dunlop tyres are also used in other leading supercar and GT championships such as the International GT Open, Spanish Endurance Championship, Britcar, Dutch Supercar Challenge and Danish Endurance series.
“Dunlop’s continued development of sports car racing tyres has secured championship wins in GT and Le Mans Endurance racing in 2007. We aim to use our long experience of international GT racing to support the inaugural UK GT Cup in 2008. This proven performance, combined with Dunlop’s renowned durability, looks likely to attract more drivers and teams into both Britcar Endurance races and GT Cup sprint races,” stated Gary Wassell, Motorsport Manager.
Dunlop’s racing calibre includes 34 wins in the Le Mans 24 hour race, more than any other tyre manufacturer. The new GT Cup will join a portfolio of Dunlop supported-championships that includes the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship, Dunlop Great and British Festivals and Britcar Endurance Championships. The trial race for the new GT Cup at Snetterton in November attracted a packed grid of 24 cars, and organizers are aiming to build on this in 2008. (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)